Querrey: "[I felt] pretty good. I served really well and I was aggressive when I needed to be. I put a lot of pressure on Tim early on and that's what I needed to do. I want to continue that strategy for the next couple weeks."

_________________“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”

"When these kind of matches happen you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments. I really enjoy suffering, because what's harder is when I am in Mallorca last year and I had to watch these kind of matches on the TV."

Sacramento Pro Circuit Challenger (Sacramento, California, U.S.A.): The northern California swing on the USTA Pro Circuit continued in Sacramento, with top seed Sam Querrey claiming his second title in as many weeks and sixth overall. The American streaked past 16-year-old rising star Stefan Kozlov (both pictured left, photo credit: Glenn Davis) 6-3, 6-4 in 78 minutes in the final. He returned to the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since January with a title in Napa Valley the week prior.

_________________“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”

"When these kind of matches happen you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments. I really enjoy suffering, because what's harder is when I am in Mallorca last year and I had to watch these kind of matches on the TV."

First Republic Bank Tiburon Challenger (Tiburon, California, U.S.A.): The northern California swing concluded in Tiburon, with top seed and World No. 40 Sam Querrey completing a three-tournament sweep. The San Francisco native, who also triumphed in Napa Valley and Sacramento, defeated John Millman 6-4, 6-2 for the title. Querrey is the first American to win three USTA Pro Circuit events in a single season since Michael Russell achieved the feat in 2009 (Carson, Champaign and Savannah). The 27 year old improved to 7-2 in finals on the ATP Challenger Tour. Millman was bidding to become the seventh different Australian to triumph on the circuit this year. He has risen 908 spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings since January, to World No. 285, in his comeback from shoulder surgery last year.

No. 34 Sam Querrey: He's only 27, but Querrey (28-21) looked tired at times in 2014. If he hadn't played three Challenger events in California -- going 15-0 and winning three titles -- this could have been a lot worse. Fellow Americans Steve Johnson (No. 37) and Jack Sock (No. 42) aren't far behind.

_________________“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”

"When these kind of matches happen you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments. I really enjoy suffering, because what's harder is when I am in Mallorca last year and I had to watch these kind of matches on the TV."

In an All-American final at the Delray Beach Open, Sam Querrey secured his first ATP World Tour title since Los Angeles 2012 by defeating Rajeev Ram 6-4, 7-6(6). Playing in an 11th final in his home country (15 total), Querrey notched his fourth victory over Ram in five FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings.

The final point of the match was also its best, with Ram crushing a forehand crosscourt and sneaking into the net, before Querrey caught a piece of the line with a running pass.

“We were both a little nervous today, it wasn’t the cleanest match,” Querrey said. “I just battled through and happened to hit one great shot in the second set, and it was on match point.”

“I played well on match point, I thought,” Ram said. “He just came up with a great shot. People don’t give [Querrey] credit for how well he moves.”

“Sometimes it feels better to win when you don’t play your best, because you know you have another gear,” Querrey observed. “I had two finals last year, both close losses, so it feels good to be in the winner’s circle.”

After gutting out a 6-7(1), 7-6(4), 6-4 quarter-final match over Tim Smyczek, Querrey raised his level, eliminating a resurgent Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets in the semi-finals before securing his eighth tour-level title against Ram. The 28 year old improved to 8-7 in tour-level finals after losing in Houston (l. to Sock) and Nottingham (l. to Istomin) last year.

Finalist Ram also enjoyed a fine week in Delray. The 31 year old, who last year finished inside the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since 2009, downed No. 2 seed Bernard Tomic and No. 4 seed Grigor Dimitrov en route to his first ATP World Tour final on hard court. Despite losing in straight sets to Querrey, the American only won two fewer points (71-73) in the 85-minute match. He falls to 2-1 in final appearances (2009 and 2015 Newport) and is projected to break into the Top 60 Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday.

“It’s hard when you play someone you know so well in a final,” said Ram, who was up a break in both sets. “I would’ve loved to hold my serve every time and win 6-4, 6-4, but that’s not how it works. What I was more disappointed about was not keeping the momentum I had in both sets. I thought I played well in the tie-break, but he hit the outside of the line three times.”

Q. Congrats. I don't think you have done that before. SAM QUERREY: Nope, that was my first time.Q. What's it like?SAM QUERREY: It's exciting. It feels good. Couple times I have come back from two sets down and get it to a fifth and lost. It's nice to get over that hurdle and get a win.Q. How many of those did you have? I can't remember. I didn't look at the numbers. Do you remember how many times you... SAM QUERREY: A couple.Q. Two?SAM QUERREY: Yeah, two, three, four. Maybe.

Sam Querrey first round press conferenceQ. Did something click in for you that wasn't there the first two sets or... SAM QUERREY: No, I mean, the first two sets, I had some looks. I mean, we each broke each other once in the sets and he just got me, like, 8 6, 7 5 in the tiebreakers. You know, a couple of balls I missed. Just little things here and there. And third, fourth set kind of got things rolling. Even though down two sets to Love, I felt good and comfortable, playing well. Just thought if I stuck with it, I could still win.Q. You know his history here. He's been good here. SAM QUERREY: Yeah.Q. It's not an easy first round opponent. What were you thinking coming in?SAM QUERREY: Yeah, he's one of those guys, he can be unusual, but he can give you a bunch of free points. You know, kind of showed in the last game. I was serving for it, he hit three return winners. It's like he doesn't know what the score is.It's tough to play against that kind of guy. He is a big guy and he's dangerous out here, so really happy to get through it.Q. I'd like to ask you a question about Boris Becker's comment, which has gotten a lot of legs about, Hey, the fifth set is just about the mind. Is that accurate? Is that true? Or is it really execution, too? You've got to bring it in terms of Xs and Os?SAM QUERREY: I think it's a combo of both. I mean, a little bit about the mind, but, I mean, a lot of times especially in Australia and the U.S., you know, you've got to be physically fit, too. Yeah, you've got to execute on those big moments.But, you know, I guess it is a little more, a little bit more about the mind, but I don't think it's totally about the mind.Q. What was your self talk as it got deeper and deeper into the fifth?SAM QUERREY: You know what? On my return games, on the first serve, put the ball in play. Second serve, hit it hard to a big target. On my service game, I was just saying, It's any other service game. Just throw it up, hit four bombs, let's move on. I wasn't going, Okay. Let's get through this. I was really casual on my service games to try to put as little stress and pressure on myself as I could.Q. You have had a few long matches here. Do you think back on those and do you draw any experience from those when you're in another long match?SAM QUERREY: Not during the match. Kind of after, yeah, you kind of are, like, Gosh, I didn't really want to lose that. I have lost three really long five setters here in the past. But in the moment of the match, I don't really think about them. I don't necessarily think I have, you know, learned much from, you know, being in those situations.Q. A little bit of a different question, Sam. Pete Sampras a while ago wrote an article, a letter to the young Pete Sampras giving him advice on playing on the tour in his career. If you could take a minute and write a letter to the young Sam Querrey, just coming out of Thousand Oaks, what would be the one or two things you might say?SAM QUERREY: You know, probably just do a better job of committing to one style of play, going for it, being more aggressive on big points. You know, over the course of a career, I think you play 200,000 points, and I think I could do a better job, when I was younger and now, just committing to one style of play. Over time I think, over the time of the points, good things will happen. I think sometimes, you know, when it gets tight you get nervous, which is natural. You might push a little bit and do things differently. So I would say commit to one style and play that way no matter the score, from the day you turn pro to the day you're done.Q. Sometimes they say in baseball, a hitter has to commit to look for one pitch and just go for it. Do you think that might be analogous, similar in some way?SAM QUERREY: Definitely, yeah. I mean, easier said than done when you're in certain situations. But, yeah, I wish that on my career, there has been moments where I wish I would have just gone and swung out instead of, you know, maybe holding back and missing it. Because I think you'll be happier with yourself if you commit to your shot and miss it rather than, you know, be passive.Q. When you're down two sets, when you win a third set, do you feel sort of impatience or nerves from the opponent, thinking, Here we go, five is not that far away all of a sudden?SAM QUERREY: Maybe a little bit. I won the third set 6 4, and I was feeling good. I don't know what he was feeling, but after I won that set, I felt confident I was going to win the fourth. The fifth evens out a little bit, but, you know, I can't speak for him, but I felt good after I won the third, that, hey, this is going five.Q. What's your team at the moment? What are you guys sort of working on?SAM QUERREY: I'm working with Craig Boynton, he also helps Steve Johnson, but he's with me. Christian LoCascio, he's a physio we have on the road 10, 12 weeks of the year, used to work with Mardy Fish. We are working, committing to one game style and being aggressive. And, you know, hopefully doing those things over a course of a long period of time, you know, come out on the winning end more than the losing end.Q. How did you see your fellow Southern Californian win Nottingham, is that a fist pump, kick in the butt? Talk about that. SAM QUERREY: I was stoked for him. First title. Always exciting. His dad was there, his girlfriend was there, I was really happy for him. You know, he's kind of in the club now, I guess. Not that it's a Grand Slam or anything, but it's still really exciting. I was so happy for him.Q. Do you know any other player who comes to mind who's as good as Steve and has gone for so long without winning a tournament? Any thoughts?SAM QUERREY: I'm sure there is a handful of guys who haven't won. I would need to look. I mean, I feel like he hasn't gone that long, either. He really didn't start playing the event till he was 22, 23. He's only 26. But, yeah, hopefully there could be some more for him.

_________________“I doubt about myself, I think the doubts are good in life. The people who don’t have doubts I think only two things: arrogance or not intelligence.”

"When these kind of matches happen you suffer, but I really enjoy these moments. I really enjoy suffering, because what's harder is when I am in Mallorca last year and I had to watch these kind of matches on the TV."

American gives Djokovic earliest Grand Slam defeat since 2009Novak Djokovic's dream of completing the calendar year Grand Slam has ended.American Sam Querrey, the No. 28 seed, shocked the tennis world by knocking off the World No. 1 and three-time Wimbledon champion on Saturday, overcoming four rain delays, to win 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5).“It's incredible, especially to do it here at Wimbledon,” Querrey said in a BBC interview after the match. “I'm just so ecstatic.”It's the first time Djokovic has lost at a Grand Slam championship since June 2015, when he fell to Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros final. The loss also snaps Djokovic's streak of 30 consecutive Grand Slam match wins, the best of the Open Era. Djokovic, who had won six of the past eight Grand Slam championships, hadn't lost this early at a Grand Slam since 2009 when he fell in the Roland Garros third round to Philipp Kohlschreiber.But the top seed downplayed feeling the pressure of trying to achieve history. “I don't think it played a big of a factor, to be honest. Coming into this match, I knew that it was going to be very close, not easy to break his serve. If he's on a roll, as he was, it's really hard to read his serve. He hits his spots really well,” Djokovic said. “He was aggressive, and it paid off... He just overpowered me.”For Querrey, the 28-year-old California native, the upset marks the biggest win of his 11-year career. Querrey has shown strong form, winning eight ATP World Tour titles, including at Delray Beach earlier this season. But he's never reached past the fourth round of a Grand Slam and had been 0-8 in all prior meetings with a No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.Querrey moves into the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the second time at Wimbledon (also 2010) and the fourth time overall (US Open 2008, 2010). He next will face Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who beat countryman and doubles partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(5), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to move into the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time. Mahut leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 2-0, including a win against him last month at the Ricoh Open in 's-Hertogenbosch.Djokovic led his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry against Querrey 8-1 but this was their first meeting on grass, and Querrey was aggressive from the get-go when their match began on Friday. He sought to blast first serves past Djokovic and take chances with his forehand. Querrey won the first-set tie-break and sprinted to a two sets to zero lead by stealing the second set in 22 minutes.The match was then suspended because of rain. When it resumed on Saturday afternoon, Djokovic looked like his old self. He successfully engaged Querrey in back-and-forth rallies and dashed to a 4-0 lead before another rain delay, which lasted two hours, again halted play. Querrey gained a late break but Djokovic grabbed the third set 6-3.In the fourth set, however, Querrey showed newfound resolve, playing some of his best tennis on break points. Querrey erased three break points to start the set with a hold and saved three more to get to 2-1. Serving at 4-all in the fourth, Querrey saved two more break-point chances with aces to get to deuce. It was the fourth and fifth times he had saved break points with aces during the fourth set. The American would finish with 31 aces for the match.But Djokovic, on his 12th break-point opportunity of the set, crushed a forehand winner for a 5-4 lead, and it looked like regular order would resume. Djokovic, after all, had come back from two sets down four previous times, including against Kevin Anderson during the fourth round of last year's Wimbledon.Yet Querrey refused to back down. He broke the top seed when Djokovic struck a volley into the net, and Querrey held to 30 for 6-5. Djokovic was set to serve to stay in the tournament when rain interrupted the match for the fourth time. An hour later, he held to love and jumped to a 3/1 lead in the tie-break.But this was Querrey's day, and on his second match point, he snagged victory and leapt with excitement as the No. 1 Court crowd rose to applause.“I had my chances maybe in the fourth set, serving for the set. In the tiebreak, I was leading," Djokovic said. "Just wasn't feeling the ball as well as I wished. But that's sport.”